Posted on 04/19/2014 11:50:07 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
On the eve of a mission to Ukraine, Rep. Ed Royce said Wednesday that the U.S. has underestimated Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that the leader “is stepping up his efforts to destabilize and possibly annex the eastern part of Ukraine.”
Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, defended Ukraine’s show of force this week in response to takeovers of government buildings by people they believe are Russian agents. He called the action a signal to Putin that the young government was not going to allow his “machinations to lead to splitting the country between eastern and western Ukraine.”
Royce leaves today to lead a delegation of eight House members to Ukraine to meet with politicians, civic, religious and business leaders in Kiev and other parts of the country. He has been a leader in the House in advancing legislation to aid the struggling country, including expanding countermeasures to Russian propaganda that the congressman said sows division and promotes Russia as the rescuer.
“Why do we act like a KGB colonel would respect a negotiating table in Geneva?” asked Royce, R-Fullerton. “When we try to engage him (in negotiations), he moves forward.”
Royce called on the U.S. to immediately deploy what he believes is its best available economic weapon – announcing that the U.S. will sell natural gas to Ukraine and Russia’s other customers to undermine its monopoly on those markets and strike Russia’s big source of revenue.
Such a strategy could be a game-changer, Royce believes. He hopes to take that message next week to Vice President Joe Biden, who is also scheduled to be in Ukraine.“We should lead with this and announce that policy now, and then we don’t have to play this out,” Royce said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
It’s too bad these Congressmen don’t care this much about protecting America.
Is it this instability which has caused a spike in gas prices? Gasoline is up 15 cents in 2 weeks.
As someone said, Putin comes from warrior jeans, Obama comes from mom jeans.
oops - warrior genes
Aren't you in Russia?
Yes I am. Not too far from Crimea.
Easier to bloviate about “protecting” Ukraine. Get away from hard political problems at home.
Not only did they underestimate Putin, they handed him a golden opportunity on a silver platter.
Royce does it all.
Talks and chews gum.
Try it some time.
Hold on a sec. I sneezed out my gum and now my keyboard is smoicspoise.
And knows how to build natural gas terminals, all within the time of one minute. Got it.
No you don’t.
You’re right. I don’t. Waiting with bated breath for your one-minute methodology on building liquified natural gas terminals.
Okay, whatever.
Back to the simple point...
Congressman Royce is one of the good guys tackling "hard political problems" both home a abroad.
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